Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, working with Ruhr University Bochum, have cleared a major hurdle in quantum research. For the first time, scientists have gained simultaneous control over two quantum light sources. Until now, researchers could only manage one, making this breakthrough an important leap forward.
To those unfamiliar with quantum mechanics, the achievement might seem minor. Yet in the world of quantum research, this moment is transformative. With the ability to create quantum entanglement between two light sources, a host of commercial technologies could soon become reality.
Control over multiple quantum light sources forms the bedrock of quantum networks. Entanglement—where two light sources are linked, no matter the distance—remains a pillar of quantum physics. Without it, building fast quantum computers and developing next-generation encryption would stay out of reach.
The findings, recently published in Science, spotlight just how far the field has come. Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute underscored the breakthrough’s major impact on the future of quantum technologies.
Peter Lodahl, a leading figure behind the project, called the achievement a giant stride toward practical applications. “We can now control two quantum light sources and connect them. It might not sound like much, but it’s a major advancement and builds upon the past 20 years of work,” he explained.
Since 2001, Lodahl has explored the promise of quantum light. “By doing so, we’ve revealed the key to scaling up the technology, which is crucial for the most groundbreaking of quantum hardware applications,” he added. The race to build quantum computers, secure encryption systems, and an entirely new internet just moved a little faster.
Related Stories
Scientists discover elusive third type of quantum particle
Quantum teleportation is unlocking a new age of innovation
New quantum breakthrough could transform computing and communication
This innovation happens on a nanochip, barely larger than a human hair, developed by the researchers over recent years.
Professor Lodahl’s group focuses on quantum technology using photons, light particles, to transport quantum information. Despite being a leader in this field, they could only control one light source at a time until now due to the sensitivity of these sources to external noise. The new research has succeeded in creating two identical quantum light sources.
“Entanglement means that by controlling one light source, you immediately affect the other. This makes it possible to create a whole network of entangled quantum light sources, all of which interact with one another, and which you can get to perform quantum bit operations in the same way as bits in a regular computer, only much more powerfully,” explains postdoc Alexey Tiranov, the lead author of the article.
A quantum bit can be both a 1 and 0 simultaneously, leading to processing power far beyond today’s computer technology. According to Professor Lodahl, 100 photons from a single quantum light source contain more information than the world’s largest supercomputer can process.
Using 20-30 entangled quantum light sources could potentially build a universal error-corrected quantum computer—the ultimate “holy grail” of quantum technology. Large IT companies are investing billions in this pursuit.
The biggest challenge was moving from controlling one to two quantum light sources, which required developing extremely quiet nanochips and precise control over each light source. Now, with this breakthrough, the fundamental quantum physics research is established. The task now is for other entities to build upon this work and apply quantum physics to technologies like computers, the internet, and encryption.
“It is too expensive for a university to build a setup where we control 15-20 quantum light sources. So, now that we have contributed to understanding the fundamental quantum physics and taken the first step along the way, scaling up further is very much a technological task,” says Professor Lodahl.
The research was conducted at the Danish National Research Foundation’s “Center of Excellence for Hybrid Quantum Networks (Hy-Q)” and is a collaboration between Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and the University of Copenhagen’s Niels Bohr Institute.
Note: Materials provided above by the The Brighter Side of News. Content may be edited for style and length.
Like these kind of feel good stories? Get the Brighter Side of News’ newsletter.
